Heimskringla. Snorri Sturluson

dauntless hero rushing on,

      Passed through the yawning mouth of stone:

      It yawned -- it shut -- the hero fell,

      In Saekmime's hall, where giants dwell."

      16. Of Vanlande, Swegde's Son.

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      Vanlande, Swegde's son, succeeded his father, and ruled over the Upsal domain. He was a great warrior, and went far around in different lands. Once he took up his winter abode in Finland with Snae the Old, and got his daughter Driva in marriage; but in spring he set out leaving Driva behind, and although he had promised to return within three years he did not come back for ten. Then Driva sent a message to the witch Huld; and sent Visbur, her son by Vanlande, to Sweden. Driva bribed the witch-wife Huld, either that she should bewitch Vanlande to return to Finland, or kill him. When this witch-work was going on Vanlande was at Upsal, and a great desire came over him to go to Finland; but his friends and counsellors advised him against it, and said the witchcraft of the Finn people showed itself in this desire of his to go there. He then became very drowsy, and laid himself down to sleep; but when he had slept but a little while he cried out, saying that the Mara was treading upon him. His men hastened to him to help him; but when they took hold of his head she trod on his legs, and when they laid hold of his legs she pressed upon his head; and it was his death. The Swedes took his body and burnt it at a river called Skytaa, where a standing stone was raised over him. Thus says Thjodolf: --

      "And Vanlande, in a fatal hour,

      Was dragg'd by Grimhild's daughter's power,

      The witch-wife's, to the dwelling-place

      Where men meet Odin face to face.

      Trampled to death, to Skytaa's shore

      The corpse his faithful followers bore;

      And there they burnt, with heavy hearts,

      The good chief killed by witchcraft's arts.

      17. Of Visbur, Vanlande's Son.

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      Visbur succeeded his father Vanlande. He married the daughter of Aude the Rich, and gave her as her bride-gift three large farms, and a gold ornament. They had two sons, Gisle and Ond; but Visbur left her and took another wife, whereupon she went home to her father with her two sons. Visbur had a son who was called Domald, and his stepmother used witchcraft to give him ill-luck. Now, when Visbur's sons were the one twelve and the other thirteen years of age, they went to their father's place, and desired to have their mother's dower; but he would not deliver it to them. Then they said that the gold ornament should be the death of the best man in all his race, and they returned home. Then they began again with enchantments and witchcraft, to try if they could destroy their father. The sorceress Huld said that by witchcraft she could bring it about by this means, that a murderer of his own kin should never be wanting in the Yngling race; and they agreed to have it so. Thereafter they collected men, came unexpectedly in the night on Visbur, and burned him in his house. So sings Thjodolf: --

      "Have the fire-dogs' fierce tongues yelling

      Lapt Visbur's blood on his own hearth?

      Have the flames consumed the dwelling

      Of the here's soul on earth?

      Madly ye acted, who set free

      The forest foe, red fire, night thief,

      Fell brother of the raging sea,

      Against your father and your chief."

      18. Of Domald, Visbur's Son.

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      Domald took the heritage after his father Visbur, and ruled over the land. As in his time there was great famine and distress, the Swedes made great offerings of sacrifice at Upsal. The first autumn they sacrificed oxen, but the succeeding season was not improved thereby. The following autumn they sacrificed men, but the succeeding year was rather worse. The third autumn, when the offer of sacrifices should begin, a great multitude of Swedes came to Upsal; and now the chiefs held consultations with each other, and all agreed that the times of scarcity were on account of their king Domald, and they resolved to offer him for good seasons, and to assault and kill him, and sprinkle the stalle of the gods with his blood. And they did so. Thjodolf tells of this: --

      "It has happened oft ere now,

      That foeman's weapon has laid low

      The crowned head, where battle plain,

      Was miry red with the blood-rain.

      But Domald dies by bloody arms,

      Raised not by foes in war's alarms --

      Raised by his Swedish liegemen's hand,

      To bring good seasons to the land."

      19. Of Domar, Domald's Son.

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      Domald's son, called Domar, next ruled over the land. He reigned long, and in his days were good seasons and peace. Nothing is told of him but that he died in his bed in Upsal, and was transported to the Fyrisvold, where his body was burned on the river bank, and where his standing stone still remains. So says Thjodolf: --

      "I have asked wise men to tell

      Where Domar rests, and they knew well.

      Domar, on Fyrie's wide-spread ground,

      Was burned, and laid on Yngve's mound."

      20. Of Dygve, Domar's Son.

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      Dygve was the name of his son, who succeeded him in ruling the land; and about him nothing is said but that he died in his bed. Thjodolf tells of it thus: --

      "Dygve the Brave, the mighty king,

      It is no hidden secret thing,

      Has gone to meet a royal mate,

      Riding upon the horse of Fate.

      For Loke's daughter in her house

      Of Yngve's race would have a spouse;

      Therefore the fell-one snatched away

      Brave Dygve from the light of day."

       Dygve's mother was Drott, a daughter of King Danp, the son of Rig, who was first called "king" in the Danish tongue. His descendants always afterwards considered the title of king the title of highest dignity. Dygve was the first of his family to be called king, for his predecessors had been called "Drottnar", and their wives "Drottningar", and their court "Drott". Each of their race was called Yngve, or Yngune, and the whole race together Ynglinger. The Queen Drott was a sister of King Dan Mikillati, from whom Denmark a took its name.

      21. Of Dag The Wise.

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      King Dygve's son, called Dag, succeeded to him, and was so wise a man that he understood the language of birds. He had a sparrow which told him much news, and flew to different countries.